Bloodline Runs Amber
by the4clansofkatz
Summary: Twilight is a cat of the Crimson Souls, a gang known for their trademark Amber eyes. The cats who are not Amber-eyed are called Deatheyes and are killed in a speical ceremony. But this young cat won't let her Deatheye ceremony go smoothly.
1. Chapter 1

Twilight yawned slightly, her light crystal eyes opening. The young, lithe she-cat glanced around at the other cats. IT was slightly funny, but out of the 9 cats to be killed, she was the only one with crystal blue eyes. The young she-cat quietly swept those eyes around ones more, then padded out the cold, large hole in the brick wall, standing on the ledge over looking her gang. The alleyway was teaming with amber-eyes cats. The young she-cat sighed. She'd better enjoy life while it lasted. The sunlight on her face for the last time, the feel of the comforting bricks under her dark gray pads. Her wistful state of mind suddenly transformed into an angry one. How dare they do this to them! How dare the Crimson Souls gang try to kill one of their best cats! They treated her like a piece of foxdung, unimportant, a gross thing to be thrown away. That was just what they were doing, right? Throwing her away. Her eyes narrowed with anger, catching the amber eyes of a cat, which quickly turned away, not wanting to catch the supposedly "evil" blue-eyed cats gaze.

Suddenly, a tap came on her shoulder. Twilight whirled around, fur prickling and claws unsheathed. But it was just Aspen. The brown tabby tom looked worried as he flicked his tail on her spine,

"Calm down Twi," Twilight smiled lightly at her old friend, and he gave a smile back, his trademark amber eyes twinkling. The female of the two felt Aspen intertwining their tails, a small smile creeping up on her lovely face. The young gray she-cat pressed her muzzle to her friends, a soft purr escaping her. He echoed the sound in his deeper voice.  
"So, ready for the ceremony tomorrow morning?" Aspen asked, a hint of sympathy in his voice, licking her muzzle gently. Twilight shook her pretty head.  
"No." she admitted. Aspen sighed gently  
"I wish I could stop it..." he murmured.  
Suddenly, Twilights crystal eyes widened and sparkled.  
"That's it!" she exclaimed softly, smiling widely at Aspen, the revelation bursting open like a flower in the sudden Greenleaf sun.. Aspen tipped his head to the side, not understanding...  
"Aspen, I have a plan. But I'm going to need your help."


	2. Chapter 2

Twilight stood in a line, with the other cats to die. Her dark tail was curled around her paws, waiting for her own father to approach her to kill her. Unbeknownst to the cats standing and facing the young cats, behind the cats, where the rest of the gang –eagerly awaiting watching the "Deatheyes" squirm and die as the poison ran into their veins-, was a group of amber-eyed 6-9 moon olds. Twilight and the other "Deatheyes" were the only other cats aware of them. They were the ones who would save her and her friends. But right now, her destruction had to begin, before it stopped abruptly, the tables turned on these evil amber-eyed cats. And this was the leader of the CS gang's matter to address. The strong black and white male, Bone, leaped to the top of a closed dumpster, deep amber eyes sweeping over the gang.

"Welcome to the ceremony of the Deatheyes." Said his deep, booming voice. Twilight shivered slightly, hating the sound of his voice, wanting to kill him with every ounce of her being. She tried to ignore the chilly sounds of his voice, wriggling in the vine chains that held her strong back legs. The leader then spoke again

"Would the father of each Deatheye come forward, and prepare their claws." he hissed gently, looking bored. Twilight watched as her own father, Gash, stepped forward, dipping his paws in the poison that sunk into cats wounds to kill them. Twilight tensed her muscles, preparing for the young cats behind her to slash their claws over the vines.. She stared up at Bone, who then yowled "BEGIN!" Twilight saw Gash leap towards her, his purple claws dripping as he went straight to claw at her neck. Twilight turned her weight to her back legs, trusting Aspen and his friends to do their job. She rolled backwards, feeling both cats on her sides do the same, following through with the plan. The young gray she-cat heard a hiss go through the crowd of fathers, as she looked around. Smaller cats balance on bigger cats, she thought, remembering her plan. The young she-cat tensed her muscles, landing on Aspens back easily, with another young she-cat "Hey Leaf..." she mumbled to the green-eyed she-cat who had been Aspen's love since they were 5 moons old. The sweet little she-cat nodded swiftly to Twilight. The eight Deatheyes were on the backs of the five big male cats, Twilight thought with satisfaction. Everyone was out.

They ran and they ran. Twilight clung to Aspens back hard as she could, feeling her fur whipping around wildly in the wind. The CS cats seemed stunned, too much to even stop them as they ran, turned a couple corners, and were out. Twilight felt herself fall to the grassy floor, glancing around the field. It seemed they had all lived. Cats were getting up now, and Twilight could see some cats intertwining tails and purring. She smiled lightly. She had done a good thing. The lithe she-cat smiled at Aspen, who didn't seem to notice her, gently joking and purring with Leaf. Twilight rolled her eyes slightly, seeing another Deatheye approaching her, his strange silver eyes suspicious. Twilight thought a moment, trying to remember his unfamiliar face. This was Rouge, the tom who had always been considered deadly amongst the Deatheyes, a strategist and a hardhead. He was large and muscular, the only Deatheye who had just run out on his own, with no help of the amber' eyes cats. He looked at Twilight, who gave a slight smile, which he didn't return. He quietly spoke, his large jaws showing razor teeth.  
"So, what now?"


	3. Chapter 3

"What next?" Twilight repeated, dumbfounded. She hadn't thought that far. She had thought, lets get out, and go. There had been no, 'what next": Rogue nodded harshly

"What next?" he urged, silver eyes glinting with annoyance at the dark she-cats lack of leadership.  
"Um..." Twilight murmured, "I... don't know" she admitted. She had been so focused on getting the Deatheyes out of the CS that she hadn't thought about what was next. The young she-cat suddenly heard a deep, developed voice for a cat so young  
"We go find shelter" Twilight jumped. She hadn't heard the tomcat approach. The pretty young black cat glanced at Rogue.  
"Happy?" He shook his head  
"No. We should split, too many cats is trouble," the young male said confidently. Twilight nodded, knowing he was right and not wanting to fight. (Authors Note: RHYME!)  
"Agreed. I'll split groups." Twilight commanded. The Deatheye jumped up on a rock, jutting out amongst the flat prairie. "Gather!" she yowled to the others. Slowly, everyone realized Twilight was in charge, and hesitantly gathered around the rock to listen to her. She smirked the littlest bit at how they all listened to her, without hesitation. That was how it was in a crisis, she supposed. Everyone followed whoever played leader best. Raising her head, she called out "I'm going to divide us into two groups". Quietly glancing around the cats, she quickly said, "There are 5 Crimson Souls, and 8 Deatheyes here" she said aloud. "Four Deatheyes to a group, and two Crimson souls in on group, three in the other" she commanded. Twilight looked around hopefully, smiling as Aspen and Leaf came to her sides. Then the young tom who had asked her the puzzling question before, Rogue. He smiled slightly. Two male CS cats then padded over.  
"Torture" Aspen addressed the skinny brown tom, amber eyes twinkling  
"Storm" Rogue said to the other tom, the silver one. Twilight glanced around. She saw that one more cat was joining them. It was a pretty dark blue she-cat with glinting blue eyes.  
"Crystal" Twilight greeted. Crystal was one of her acquaintances in the CS, and she was glad to have the formidable she-cat in her group, though her slight ditzy ness was annoying at times.  
"So, guys... let's go..." she said softly, uncertainly flicking he tail, and watching the 6 cats follow her. She nodded to Aspen to leave, ignoring the glint in Rouge's eyes when she didn't pick him. Torture smiled at her, and she gave no response but a blank face, the small cat licking a paw. As they walked ahead, she drew back, running up and leading again with a speedy pace. She set off across the prairie, fur blowing in the wind, in search of a new life. An eagle swooped ahead, Twilight skidding to a halt, smiling as she watched it fly freely. If she had died in the ceremony, then she never would have seen this beautiful, majestic bird.  
"I'm free" Twilight whispered 'I'm really free."


	4. Chapter 4

Twilight fluttered her crystal eyes groggily, the sharp sunlight biting angrily into her eyes. The pretty young female glanced around, seeing Aspen and Rogue at her sides. She smiled slightly, seeing Rogue was already awake. He smiled at her, pushing a mouse to her muzzle  
"Eat. I caught a few," he commanded, smiling faintly. Twilight smiled back, taking a couple bites, and then pushing the mouse back to the tom, who smiled lightly, taking a bite. Twilight looked hungrily at the other mice, but knew they must go to the others. They were all completely ravenous, but worst was little Leaf and Aspen. Leaf didn't know how to catch her own food, so Aspen had been giving her his share. The rest tried to share with them, but they refused. Twilight continued eating, then pushed the plump creature to Rogue again. They finally finished the painstakingly slow prey, and Twilight sat up. She looked at the sleeping bunch, trying to find something to do! Noting the dry, crusty moss under Torture's dark brown paws, and the lack of bedding under Aspen's muscular frame, Twilight pricked her ears.  
"So... Want to go down to the lake to get moss?" Rogue ventured, his eyes gleaming. Twilight nodded happily. She and Rogue often went down to the lake now, to get water for the others. They were the only two that didn't mind their paws getting wet. The pretty dark gray she-cat stood up, beginning to pad over the sparsely treed plains they were living in. She looked around appreciatively. The tall grass was just at her small shoulder most of the way around the area, at some points higher or lower. A giant lake laid in the middle, crystal waters edge merging with the field from boggy land. Twilight looked over at Rogue mischievously.  
"Race you!" she exclaimed, and bolted off. She knew she would need the head start. Rogue definately was one of the fastest cats around, and she knew he would win. This was proved when out of the corner off her tear-colored eye a silver blur appeared. Twilight gasped slightly, her short legs moving swifter. The tom laughed loudly, breezing ahead of her and slowing slightly as they were almost halfway.

Twilight didn't slow, darting ahead. Easily, he burst in front of her, jumping into the lake with a splash. Twilight laughed, bounding into the crystal waters after him. His whiskers twitched in amusement, and head butted her gently.  
"Lets go down to the moss tree," she commanded. The male nodded, crouching slightly so Twilight would scramble onto his back. The water got to deep for the littler she-cat about halfway through, and she'd probably drown. Rogue took a few tentative steps toward the large moss-covered tree, up to his shoulders. Little Twilight sprung off his back, onto the tree, beginning to scrape off moss to soak in the lake. Rogue followed her example, gathering his own bushel. They dipped them into the water simultaneously. Twilight then grabbed her bushel, and held on for dear life, as they trudged back to the lakeshore. Twilight climbed off, looking at Rogue. Silently, then nodded, and set off back for camp, side by side, at top speed.


	5. Chapter 5

Torture rushed into the small camp under the shade of the forestry willow trees. He looked around, his deep amber eyes glinting in Twilight's own crystal blue ones. The little she-cat dipped her head to the larger male, the self-appointed leader tipping her head slightly.  
"What's wrong?" she requested of the tom. He took a deep breath, gasping from his panicked breathing.  
"Other cats... coming this way! I think their hostile!" he exclaimed. Twilight's eyes widened. The little dark gray she-cat swished her tail, bristling angrily. She yowled around the small clearing. Not far from her, Leaf and Aspen abandoned their snuggling, looking to the leader. Twilight watched Storm rise from his mouse, eyes glinting, the skinny Crystal licking her own lips clean of blood. Rogue was at the opening in the thick willow branches. The young she-cat called out.  
"Someone's coming! I need you all here in case of an attack" she shouted. The other cats immediately stood.  
Twilight blinked. They were a skinny few, Leaf not even trained in hunting. The little cat looked at Rogue, whose silver eyes glinted in understanding, easily scrambling on the top of the tall tree to watch them approach. Aspen ran from under the shelter, looking around the wide-open prairie. A band of about five cats was headed their way.  
Twilight's eyes widened further. All of them were big and broad-shouldered, or fast and muscled-looking. The little cat yowled out  
"Who's there?"  
Without hesitation, a voice responded  
"Deatheye searchers! They've run away. You happen to know anything about that, TWILIGHT?"

The well-toned gang cats made their way over to the group, fur fluffed and fangs out. One cat came out as the leader.

Twilight snarled at the CS cat, the large brown male baring his own pointy fangs at her. The young she-cat felt the fur on her spine spiking up, Rogue stepping slightly closer to her. Without hesitation. The male sprung at the young she-cat, fangs engraving in her shoulder. A well-known pain shot through the young cats shoulder, and a battle yowl emerged from behind her. Aspens battle yowl.  
"Aspen, help!" she yelled towards the direction of the yowl, the bigger brown tom tackling the tom who had been attacking Twilight. The big CS cat was bowled over, little Twilight thrown with him. The rest of his patrol sprang into action, attacking all of Twilights friends and fellow Deatheyes.

They all fought back, Storm wrestling with a slender she-cat, her long white fur thrown back and forth with their movements. His teeth caught in her fur, unable to get a hold of her skin. Leaf was pathetically batting at a young tom, the tom himself looking young and still feeble in the art of battle. They exchanged pathetic blows, though the tom seemed to be winning. Twilight realized that Leaf couldn't fight off even the young cat, so she sprung into action. Tackling the small tom away, she hissed, though smaller than him, she scared him enough to run off into the tall grass. But then she heard an alarmed cry from Rogue, seeing blood. A black she-cat stood over him, her eyes glinting. She then charged at the little gray cat, who swatted bravely at the gang cat, who she recognized as Night. Twilight winced with a sharp pain, the big she-cat grabbing her scruff and pulling, and suddenly everything was black.

Crystals of blue eyes flicked open to the angry alleyway sun. Three or four cats stood over Twilight, none of them very familiar. She had a feeling she had seen them before, around the gang. But who knew? The small she-cat hissed at them, slowly sitting up, claws dangerously unsheathed. They backed away, allowing her a bit of freedom. Her friends, the other Deatheyes and the CS 'traitors' were sitting around looking defeated or troubled, all gathered together in the corner. She slowly slunk up to Aspen, nuzzling her best friend, whose eyelids were closed. Slowly, eyes she had known to be amber slid open. Twilight gasped in horror. What used to be soft, sweet amber was now transformed. One eye was completely gone, a black hole, crusted in horrible blood. The other was bright, watery silver, which stared blankly around. Twilight shuddered, murmuring  
"A-aspen?" She questioned. He groaned softly,  
"Twilight..." He whispered. "They'll do something to you too... Get Leaf and run..." He begged. Twilight turned her mouth in confusion, a frown on her features/  
"What happened?" She begged.  
"They fought. They pinned me down. They ripped out my eye..." He whispered, his voice cracked and sickly. Twilight whimpered.  
"What about the other one?" She questioned. The silver eye was more frightening. The gone one was... well gone, but the silver one was...transformed. They had both been such sweet amber colors, and now... Twilight sighed.  
He took a deep breath, beginning to explain. "They took me and Storm to this place... It was like... a big pit. Some other cats came. They pushed these herbs in our eyes... I don't know what happened next. But... I can only see light and dark." He explained in a cracked and frightened voice. Twilight sighed.  
"How long have I been out?"  
"A couple days" He answered. "Most of us are here... Except Rogue" He said the last part softly.  
"Where is he!" questioned Twilight. Rogue had become basically her best friend on the journey. Storm and Torture had had each other, it with Leaf and Aspen... But She and Rogue had well... clicked... Where was he? Crystal and he had been, well... close, but Twilight and him had been inseparable since near the beginning.  
Aspen shrugged "They said they could use him, since he was strong." Twilight whimpered; the young she-cat twitching her deep gray tail. Aspen sighed gently  
"And don't even try to get us out. They keep us guarded." He muttered like a defeatist, so unlike himself. Theshe-cat looked around, trying to locate everyone else. She whistled in a low voice, everyone's head immediately perking, and the small group of young cats gathering in front of Twilight. Storm and Torture, Crystal and Leaf, then Aspen at her side. She let her voice fall low. Some other cats sat around, other possible prisoners, were around, but they didn't respond to Twilights leader-like call, so it was simply her group. Twilight then murmured to her fellows.  
"You know, it's been a couple moons since our Deatheye Ceremony. They are probably new Deatheyes. What if we somehow got some of the poison they inject into the Deatheyes?" She murmured. She looked around, used to Rogue's usually reasonable objections. They usually objected to one another's ideas until the perfect plan was formed, starting with Twilights rough idea. No one seemed to realize what she was looking for, so Aspen just murmured  
"Sounds good. How?" She blinked, thinking. He hadn't given her much to work with. The little female stretched, looking out of the area. Everything seemed dark, only one small show of light in the corner. She slunk towards that, a guard cast nearby. She couldn't see much as she crouched by the spot, seeing cat's knees and down, but noticing something she had never noticed before. A crack in the wall of a building, darkness inside the small cave. However, a flicker of sunlight showed from the opposite direction, making it apparent there was a way out through there. The hole seemed just big enough for a reasonably broad-shoulders cat to slip in. More than enough space for Twilight. A smell radiated from the spot, strong enough to be faintly smelled from the cage. It was a sickly sweet smell, but held an aura of death, twinkling in bits towards the other cats. Her brow furrowed, trying to find a way out. The equally sized crack she was looking out now was big enough for most of them to fit out. But what next? And what was in that cave? There were guards here. She turned to Aspen, a not so complete plan forming in her mind  
"I know how we can get out...!" She exclaimed. He perked up "How?" She smiled  
"Its all up to Crystal." She murmured


	6. Chapter 6

"Come here! Come here quick!" Twilight called out loudly to the guard. The big, broad-shouldered male slipped in, eyes narrowed suspiciously. Twilight looked at Crystal, lying limp on the ground.  
"She's in a fainting spell! She could die! She gets this if she doesn't eat the softheart!" Storm stood next to the she-cat, looking frightened. The others were staring at the guard, then at Aspen as he explained.  
"She needs it or her allergies act up and she could die!" exclaimed the tom "I can show you where it grows!" The tom flicked his tail to the guard, who followed after warning the other cats to not try anything funny. Twilight frowned. They weren't trying anything /funny/ she decided. They were trying something very serious. Immediately after he left, Twilight padded out into the desolate alley, one of the few traveled in the gang's territory. She smiled  
"Time for plan to commence" She murmured to herself, darting across the alley into the other sides hole, into the dark.  
A foul stench tickled at her nostrils. The scent was sickly sweet, making her want to gag. She swished her tail, straining her crystal eyes to see through the dark in front of her. Sensing no prominent danger, the young she-cat began to tiptoe her way forward. Suddenly *whoosh* Air ruffled be her fur, and Twilight felt herself falling. She gasped, paws gripping at the cement howl she seemed to have fallen down. She closed her eyes tightly, then loudly whispered

"Torture, I think I'm stuck!" The brown male slunk forward, amber eyes cautious. He easily took hold of her dark gray scruff, dragging the she-cat back up to the dark tunnel, from the enlightened hole. The two cats stared down the chasm that lay at their trembling paws. Down below, many cats were shouting, angry yells emerging from the hole. Twilight nodded to Torture, who let go of a soft whistle, Storm rushing forward. Only Leaf and Crystal were left in the cage, since Leaf couldn't fight any potential danger, crystal was 'fainted'. Aspen was out with the guard, stalling, and Rogue... well, they didn't know where Rogue was. Slowly, Torture leapt down, beckoning to the other two. They both leapt down, all eyes widening. In front of her was. Well, it was the most horrible sight Twilight had ever seen.


	7. Chapter 7

The wails of cats were louder now. Screaming, terrible wails of kittens, of she-cats, of toms. All of them echoed across the cavernous tunnel. The caterwauls scraped against Twilights very skull, Torture trembling beside her slightly. Twilight's potent eyes flicked around. The room seemed to be divided into two halves. On one side, many cats stood carefully by hazardously bubbling vats of purplish poison. They seemed to be the derivation of the sweet, sickly scent that made Twilight want to gag.  
These cats seemed to be every so often, taking a thin, long stick in their mouths, bending it every so precariously into the basin of toxic slush. They then would cautiously stride over to the other side of the room, where a line of Death-eyed cats would be standing. Around this line was a muddle of dead cats, eyes clouded, some newly died, some rotting to the very end. Littered amongst the dead cats were the ones producing the wails. They had deep cuts all over them, the purple goo foaming from it, mixing with blood, seeming to melt them. Twilight frowned. What was this place? Where they killed Deatheyes? Didn't they do that in public? Were these, like, speical cats?  
But her thoughts were rudely interuppted by the commotion going on in the line of cats waiting. A deep bellow came from way above the other cats. this proved to be a large tabby tom when Twilight glanced up, though it hardly seemed to be of importance. Nobody payed attention to the three young cats sitting there. They probably looked like any other group of cats that was littered around here. However, everyone was directed torwards that swirling line of Seemingly Deatheyes. Suddenly, a flash of loose tabby silver-and-black long fur... unique silver eyes... Rogue! Twilight almost stepped forward, but then drew back. What was happening? Many cats held out their poison-covered sticks. They all had a distinctly purple-to-red coloration, but many varied, some having different consistancies. Maybe the best way to kill them... Twilight narrowed her eyes in disgust. The group of poison-holding cats, (Twilight decided to call them Poisoners) stepped forward, another group of non-poisoners leaping forward torwards a small line of Seeming Deatheyes, clawing them feircely. They all began to bleed, shifting onto their haunches in total, racking pain. The Poisoners then held out the sticks, slathering the cats wounds with them. Those cats yowled in pain, their knees buckling as the cats fell. Others didn't fall at all, just limp back to the end of the seemingly endless line. Rogue was in the line, about halfway back. Silently, his eyes widened. He had noticed her. Slowly, the silver tom slunk torwards them  
"Twilight ,what are you doing here?" He murmured, brushing his muddy muzzle with hers.  
She nuzzled her own skinny nose against his cheek.  
"Never mind that.. What's been up with you" He blinked slightly.  
"Come here.. I 'll tell you" He muttered, flicking his tail for the she-cat to follow his lead.

Twilight glanced around the small cavern. A few young toms and she-cats lay around. Two were a dark brown, with matching green eyes, a third a pretty bright white, her belly full of kits, the last a tiny dark ginger tom, barely more than 5 moons, Twilight guessed. Rogue flicked his tail to each cat  
"Feather and Lily, the white ones, Frost the other she-cat, and Flame" He nodded slowly to each one. They each nodded tiredly back. Rogue made his way to a downy-looking bed of pigeon feathers, flicking his tail for Twilight to join him. She did, ears heating slightly at the way their pelts brushed. He quietly turned to her  
"Okay, so this place is where they bring strong Deatheyes that have escaped. They take them here, and test poison on them, to find the most efficient way to kill them" Twilight gasped slightly  
"Really?" She murmured. So she had been correct.  
"Yup. They take up, and cut us and shove poison into us. I was lucky. I havent been chosen yet." Suddenly, a low rumble of a mew came. A ve ry broad-shouldered male padded in  
"Feather and Lily" He flicked his tail. The two matching she-cats padded out, their shoulders slumped, their eyes dull.  
Rogue shook his head "We won't see them again"  
Twilight gasped, looking around.  
"Rogue, we have to get you out." she said softly.  
"And Frost, and Flame. " He nodded slowly "But how?" Twilight thought back. Torture and Storm were looking around,  
"I'm not sure, but we might find out soon" She said softly, flicking he tail for her friends to go. Torture and Storm padded out, and twilight knew she might enver see her friends again.

(An: I know its crappy, and its coming to close. =/)


	8. Chapter 8

Torture and Storm bundled into the crowded cement den, both toms' sides heaving with he effort of obviously running a lot. The smell of blood was strong on them, but the scent of fresh grass seemed like the sweetest scent in the world compared with this hellhole. Twilight glanced up from her nap, lying close to Rogue, his tail slung lazily over her shoulders in a bad-boy fashion, as if he didn't care. She was curled close to him, their cheeks brushing. Realizing the others were entering, she shoved her friend away, ears heated at their intimate position. She convinced herself she was just waking up, and she wasn't interested in him. He sprung up, looking around, as if frightened something had attacked. A moment later, the tom relaxed and realized nothing had attacked him upon seeing his friends.  
"Alright" Breathed Storm "We found a way out." Twilights ears perked, Rogue settling by her side, also looking interested.  
"How?" He demanded, the strategic tom ready to plan. Twilight tipped her ears to permit the two non-identical brothers to speak.  
"Well, okay, you know all those dead bodies around the line?" Torture questioned. Twilight nodded, shuddering slightly at the thought of all those hollow-eyed cats staring straight ahead at nothing, their fur crawling with pests. Some seemed weeks old, while others could have been killed last night. "Well, they have to get right of them; right? So, we 'volunteered' to go and take out the dead bodies tomorrow. They had us go check it out where we were taking them. Turns out, it opens up to that field we were living in before. There aren't even guards there! We could get all of you guys out like that!" He exclaimed. Rogue nodded slightly, but then looked repulsed

"The field? That WE were living in?" Storm nodded, then realized how that sounded

"Not where we were living, of course," he said hurriedly "it's on the other side of the lake, in a swampy area. There's tons of dead bodies there. So, anyways…" he trailed off.  
"Twilight and Leaf out first" Rogue murmured decidedly. Twilight was touched the tom cared for her. However, she was the leader. They needed her! She shook her head  
"Crystal and Leaf first" She muttered back "Then Aspen and You. Then me last" She licked his ear kindly. He shook his head, and then looked at Storm,  
"You think you two could get us all at once? And how are we getting out?" Torture shrugged "They're all in a big dumpster on wheels kind of thing. It's pretty gross, but its our only way out. They load up like 20 bodies a day. So..Yea. Want me to go get the others?" Twilight nodded  
"Uh huh. There all probably back. Act official. Take me with you." Torture smiled, flicking her shoulder roughly with his tail. She stumbled slightly  
"Come along, she-cat." Rogue bristled  
"Remember, she said act" He hissed to Torture, obviously thinking Twilight couldn't hear. She rolled her eyes, letting Torture push her up to the hole that they had entered through. The two cats skillfully leapt up there, traveling down the dark tunnel. Twilight could see the guard boredly sitting by the cage entrance, the same one as before, obviously back after finding the plant that would cure Crystals 'fainting spell'.  
Twilight licked Tortures ear, and he affectionately rubbed her muzzle, setting off towards the light to the guard, giving her no time to think about his affectionate gesture. Torture came up to the guard, ignoring Twilight, whose head was spinning.  
He began speaking to the big burly tom, though Twilight couldn't catch many of their hushed words, hearing such as. 'Poison test'...'extras'. 'Die faster' Easily enough, he came out with Aspen, Leaf, and Crystal. The four cats padded into the tunnel, smashing together with Twilight. She smiled at them, flicked her tail for them to follow. Torture pinned her down quietly  
"I lead" He purred playfully in her ear. Twilight had to frown. This was too much! He wasn't her, like, mate! But she said nothing, letting the skinny brown tom take the lead. The five cats pounced down to the gross poisoning area. Twilight ignored the gasps of horror from the others, even Aspen, who probably smelled all the stench of death. Torture sighed sadly, but led all the other cats to the small cavern where Rogue, Frost, and Flame were. Twilight watched them sit down, one by one.  
"Alright, here's the plan" She said calmly, beginning to speak about their repulsive plan to escape. Leaf drew back as though someone had struck her, but Aspen clumsily put his tail on her shoulder

"You'll be okay, I'll protect you." He said softly. Rogue nodded to Twilight, as if thinking she was thinking the same thing. Twilight flicked her head to the tom, then noticed Torture staring at her with an intensity that unnerved her. All she wondered was;

Do we have the time to fight over petty things like this, or will it ruin our chances of every living truly free?


	9. Chapter 9

Twilight crouched at the exit of the small cement den, watching her friends sitting there, while Storm and Torture filled the large box with dead cats, pushing it around on its rusty, creaking wheels. The two toms took each dead cat by the scruff, their noses covered in a yellowish pus-like substance, to hide the smell of the death. Twilight held a flower full of that pus in her jaws, though wasn't to use it until they stopped the cart. Rogue sat next to her, his tail over her tense shoulders, trying to relax his friend. But she wouldn't relax. Not until she was out. He gently licked her ear, but the black she-cat drew away with a slight growl in the back of her throat. He understandingly nodded, watching Torture and Storm traveling around. About half of the metal box was full, when the two cats rolled the dumpster-like box right by their little cave. Twilight nudged Flame by her, sticking his nose roughly in the flower, as well as his mothers, before the two cats cautiously scrambled into the bin of dead cats. Twilight glanced around. No one seemed to be watching.  
Next was Leaf and Crystal, who curried up next to the pregnant Frost, the three young she-cats all looking overly frightened. Aspen was next, Rogue helping him into the foul bin. Twilight looked around the bustling cave. Still no one was taking notice of all the cats piling into the dumpster. Twilight tensed her muscles, leaping to the top of the bin, scrambling her thin frame into its foul stench. The scent of horrible, sick death was all around, poisonous smells there. All the puss from the bulging flower had been used up, so Twilight just buried her nose in Rogues fur, as he curled up close to her. Aspen sat on her other side, his tail curled around his friend. Twilight felt overly protected, but made no move to stop either of them. Lead squirmed through th4e dead bodies over to Aspen, cuddling up to him and sending an offended glare at Twilight, who widened her eyes in pure innocence. Twilight then shook her head. She had more to worry about than fretting she-cats.  
Suddenly, another bleeding body was thrown onto Rogue, who silently shuddered, but made no sound. The purplish blood seeped onto his silver fur, and he pressed closer to Twilight, who silently slipped under his belly for shelter. Aspen stood close to them, while Crystal comforted Flame and Frost. A few more dead bodies flew in, nearly covering the live ones, but not quite. Eventually, the muffled scents and sounds of the underground cave ended, fresh air hitting their noses. All of them scurried from the dumpster, Frost's pregnant sides heaving with the effort, Crystal propping her up. Twilight slipped from the dumpster easily, landing in a pool of purple-tinted blood. Rogue slid in next to her, his silver eyes gleaming like bright pools of fright. Even seeing Rogue scared, Twilight knew there was something to worry about. But maybe she misread it.. yes, that was it! Slowly, she checked to see if everyone was okay. They all seemed to be intact, Storm and Torture scurrying back into the cavern, then returning, heads held high. They smiled at everyone, Torture purring in Twilight ear  
"I saved you.." She flicked her tail uncomfortably, but let him have his moment of glory, though she was sure she could 'save' herself. The young she-cat cleared her head of thoughts, swishing her tail for the others to follow.  
"Come on, let's get far away from here... forever" she mumbled to Rogue. He licked her ears, his eyes gloating at Torture, before Twilight raced away "Betcha can't catch me!" She yowled, running from the bloodstained area, across the plains, all her friends following in hot pursuit

Twilightpool opened her eyes sleepily to the morning sun, the murky clouds dancing in front of her vision, the sounds of the Shadowclan camp in her ears. The pretty warrior slipped from the den, looked around. Songheart and Aspenfeather lounged on the side of the camp, Songhearts belly full of her first litter, the light tabby smiling sweetly at her mate since kithood. Frosteyes three little kits playfought, Flamepaw practicing attack moves with Bloodstain and Stormburn. Crystalpool padded in with her patrol, holding two fat frogs.  
Twilightpool remembered about two seasons ago, when the beraggled group of cats had come to this clan. They had all been almost starving, but now they were all fine. The leader ,Drizzlestar, had welcomed them with open paws. Frost had had those three adorable kits, Leechkit, Songkit, and Molekit. They had all changed their names, Leaf (Songheart) and Torture (Bloodstain) Having the most drastic changes. Flame had become quite big and strong, a skilled apprentice of Stormburn's. Bloodstain had given up his attempts at being Twilightpools mate, now having a new mate, Dreamfur, with a litter of beautiful kits. Aspenfeather and Songheart had mated, about two kits on the way, as the medicine cat Fernheart, had predicted.  
Suddenly, there came a soft whisper in Twilightpools ear  
"Hey beautiful" It was the voice of the deputy, Loneecho. Formerly Rogue. Twilightpool brushed her muzzle sweetly to his, while they twined their tails happily. The two young cats watched the clan silently, their cheeks pressing together, smiles on their faces. A nightingale warbled off in the distance, while Loneecho murmured "We chased off a fox today.. Drizzlestar lost another life fighting it though.." Twilightpool nodded slowly "  
"How many does she have left?"  
"Not sure... I mean, her mates gone.. her kits are all grown up." Twilightpool nodded again, pressing her muzzle to her mates. He instantly shushed, licking her shoulder. The two curled up together, watching the goingons of Shadowclan with happy smiles on their faces.  
As she watched the clan busily go along, Twilightpool thought.. Now I'm free. Finnally, Really free

ENDE


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